Some wireless industry stakeholders in the debate over allocating the 6 GHz band have been lobbying to convince lawmakers to file and advance legislation requiring the FCC move forward with a plan that allows for licensed and unlicensed use of those frequencies, lobbyists told us. Such legislation would diverge from the direction of the FCC's current 6 GHz NPRM, which looks at opening 1,200 megahertz of spectrum in the band for Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use (see 1810230038).
Pivotal Commware’s request for waiver of FCC industrial signal booster (ISB) labeling requirements for its Echo 5G signal booster was opposed by many replying through Tuesday in docket 19-272. SureCall urged other booster distributors to make their opposition clear (see 1910030032). And many weighed in.
A federal privacy law shouldn’t be “less strict” than any existing state law, a National Association of Attorneys General official said Tuesday. Based on Congress’ progress, it doesn’t seem there will be a federal law in effect by January, when the California Consumer Privacy Act takes effect, said NAG Training and Research Institute Center for Consumer Protection program counsel Blake Bee. So industry will need to comply with a patchwork of laws, he told a New America event.
Pursue granularity and accuracy of broadband mapping data so consumers aren't trapped in broadband deserts when government funding is unavailable in areas deemed served, NTCA replied on FCC digital opportunity data collection (see 1909240005). Commenters differed on a latency-reporting obligation and most opposed collecting prices. DODC replies posted through Tuesday in docket 19-195.
Judges peppered both sides with questions as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard oral argument Tuesday on an FCC decision in 2013 to set a $1.56 billion nationwide aggregate reserve price in the 2014 auction of H-block spectrum. NTCH, which is challenging the order, urged the court to vacate Auction 96. Judges could also remand the case to the FCC for further work.
Areas of wide agreement among C-band users, satellite operators and other stakeholders are emerging, and with them issues that need resolution before the FCC acts or through an eventual order, experts and a policymaker said Tuesday. All agree that some frequencies will be repurposed for 5G, said FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly. "There is a broad consensus on at least a couple of points," said NAB Associate General Counsel Patrick McFadden: Spectrum will be repurposed, content delivery using the satellite band should be protected, and "end users should be held harmless."
The FTC doesn’t intend to weaken Obama-era changes to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, Commissioner Christine Wilson said Monday at the agency’s COPPA workshop. Republican colleague Noah Phillips defended the innovation and economic growth spurred by the rule. The agency’s COPPA review (see 1910040026) isn’t an attempt to roll back 2013 changes to the children’s online privacy rule, and the FTC knows protecting innovation can’t be done at the expense of children, Wilson said. The agency wants to make sure COPPA keeps pace with online technology, she said, citing modern data collection methods and ways children interact with media.
LAUREL, Md. -- Researchers told IEEE Monday the move to 5G has big implications for first responders, and challenges. “The conversation now is not what is 5G but what can we do with 5G,” said Sanyogita Shamsunder, Verizon vice president-5G labs and innovation. A top DOD speaker said the military wants to speed its adoption of 5G.
Industry and consumer group officials continued hoping Monday that lawmakers will reach a bipartisan compromise on net neutrality legislation, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Mozilla v. FCC last week upheld parts of the FCC 2018 order rolling back 2015 reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II (see 1910010018). They didn't stray during a Congressional Internet Caucus Academy event from their longstanding belief that a final statute either should or shouldn't have a basis in Title II and mirror the rescinded 2015 net neutrality rules (see 1910010044).
Crafting its to-do list for beefing up cybersecurity in commercial space, one Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center priority may be creating a space cybersecurity maturity model akin to a readiness rating for securing information, Space ISAC Vice President-Operations Erin Miller told us. The ISAC was unveiled this spring and hosted a GPS threats webinar in May. It aims to be fully operational next month at its first board meeting, Miller said.